Catheters often need to be inserted or pushed through a body opening, such as an incision or a body orifice, during a surgical or other medical procedure. Such catheters may be useful for a variety of purposes, including the drainage of bodily fluids from a surgical patient or a patient undergoing medical treatment. For example, thoracic drainage catheters, such as those that are introduced into a body opening outside of the operating room environment, require that the catheter be pushed through tissue and between rib structures to be properly positioned in the pleural space. Such positioning may need to be accomplished without the benefit of the chest being open to aid in positioning.
Catheters are typically “soft” and “flexible” by design to conform to internal structures and anatomy. For example, thoracic drainage catheters may be formed from silicone or other very soft plastic materials. Thus, it is sometimes difficult to push the tip of a catheter through a body opening in such a way as to avoid buckling of the catheter.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and method for introducing catheters, such as thoracic drainage catheters, into a body opening in such a way as to reduce the tendency of the catheter to buckle.